Sanitary receptacle.



F. L. HOFFMAN.

SANITARY RBGEP'I-AGLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 22, 1910.

979,005. Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

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FRANK L. HOFFMAN, OF DENISON, IOWA.

SANITARY REOEPTAQLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 22, 1910. Serial l\1'o. 539,460.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, FRANK L. HOFFMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denison, in the county of Crawford, State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sanitary Receptacles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to receptacles such as are commonly used in closets and privies.

One object of the invention is to insure the closing of both lid and seat of the receptacle when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to insure the seat being raised unless held down by weight placed thereon.

A third object of the invention is to provide treadle actuated means which will hold the lid raised while the device is in use and pressure is exerted on the treadle.

WVith the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists in general of a recep-' tacle of the class described provided with a lid and seat and certain novel. mechanism adapted to secure the closing of both lid and seat when the receptacle is not in use and to insure the raising of the seat when it is desired to use the receptacle, unless weight be placed on said seat.

The invention further consists in certain novel details of construction and comb-inations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and :Figure 1 is a front elevation of a device constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2' is a top plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the lid being shown closed in full lines and raised in dotted lines. Fig. 1 is a view showing a modified manner of supporting certain arms used in this invention. Fig. 5 is a detail section through a portion of the rear of the device showing parts of a latch releasing mechanism used in connection with the invention.

The numeral 10 indicates the body of the receptacle and extending across the rear of this body in an anchor block 11 the upper edge of which is slightly above the top of the receptacle.

At 12 is theusual seat constructed in the Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

ordinary manner'and provided with downwardly extending side flanges 13 and a front flange 141 projecting outwardly in a plane with the body of the seat, the flangesfitting closely over the edges of the receptacle. This lid 12 is secured to the member 11 by means of spring hinges 15 which are so arfadnged that they normally tend to liftthe Projecting above the top of the receptacle and ,secured to the rear thereof is a second anchor block 16, and a lid 17 provided with a handle extension 18 at the forward edge thereof is hinged to the second anchor block by means of a spring hinge 19. It is to be observed that the hinges l5 and 19 are so arranged with relation to each other that the hinge 18 together with the weight of the lid has just sufficient strength to overcome the lifting effect of the hinges 15. It is, of course, understood that the tendency of the hinge 19 is to close the lid 17.

Secured to the wall or any other convenient place immediately behind the receptacle is a block 20 to the side of which is pivoted a hook 21 so arranged that the bill of the hook extends upward. On the top lid 17 is a keeper 22 which is positioned in such manner on the lid that when the latter is raised the bill of the hook may engage the keeper receptacle and extend slightly to the rear thereof where they are connected by a cross beam 26. Connected to the hook 21 between the bill and pivot thereof is a rod 27 the lower end of which passes through an opening 28 formed in the cross beam 26. Upon the rod 27 is a collar 29 and between this collar and the cross beam is a spring 30.

which normally urges the cross beam 26 downward and the collar 29 upward. This spring may have its tension adjusted by shifting the position of the collar 29 on the rod 27, the collar being held in the adjusted position by means of a set screw 31 pass ing through the collar and bearing against the rod. At 32 is a bracket which is secured to the rear of the receptacle and surrounding the rod between this bracket and the collar is a spring 33. It is preferred that the last mentioned spring shall be of less strength than the spring 30 so that the depression of the treadle will raise the cross beam 26 and with it will raise the rod 27. Now, as the rod 27 is raised the bill end of the hook 21 is also raised.

In the operation of the device the placing of a persons foot upon the treadle 25 serves to depress this treadle and consequently to raise the cross beam 26. This raises the hook to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 and then the handle 18 may be grasped and the upper lid raised until the keeper 22 engages the hook, this being permitted by reason of the fact that the spring 30 will allow the depression of the hook suflicient to let the keeper engage therewith. As the lid 17 is raised the weight of this lid is removed from the seat 12 together with the stress exerted by the spring hinge of the lid 17. As a. consequence of this the seat 12 flies up and is received against a bumper peg or stop 3% located at one side of the receptacle. If it is desired that the seat be closed it is simply necessary to grasp the same with the hand and shut it down. So long as weight is kept thereon it will remain in this position. If, now, the weight be removed from the treadle 25 the springs 30 and 33 will act to lift the treadle 25 and also to lower down the hook 21. This will release the keeper 22 and permit the lid 17 to have free movement downward. By rea son of the fact that the spring hinge on this lid 1'7 has greater strength than the hinges supporting the seat 12, both lid and seat will be promptly shut. There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified.

It is obvious that many minor changes may be made in the form and construction of this invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but itis wished to include all such as properly come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention. what is claimed as new, is

1. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, a lid therefor, means to hold said ,lid raised, a treadle, and elements connecting the holding means and treadle to release the holding means when the treadle is released from pressure.

2. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, a lid therefor, a hook supported behind and above said receptacle, a keeper 011 said lid engageable by the hook when the lid is raised, a pivoted treadle, and means connecting the treadle and hook to move the latter to engaging position when the treadle is depressed.

3. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, a lid therefor, a hook supported behind and above said receptacle, a keeper on said lid engageable by the hook when the lid is raised, a pivoted treadle, means connecting the treadle and hook to move the hook to engaging position when the lid is raised, and spring actuated means to depress the treadle and release the hook from the keeper.

4. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, a lid therefor, a hook supported behind and above said receptacle, a keeper on said lid engageable by the hook when the lid is raised, a pivoted frame embracing said receptacle, a treadle on the front end of said frame, a rod connected to said hook and slidably held in said frame, a collar on said rod, a spring between said collar and said frame, a bracket surrounding said rod above said collar and secured to a stationary object, a second springbetween said bracket and collar, and means to adjust said collar on said rod.

5. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, an under lid therefor, hinges connecting the under lid and the receptacle and normally tending to raise the under lid, an upper lid for the receptacle, a hinge connecting the npper lid and the receptacle and normally holding the upper lid closed, the last mentioned hinges having strength sutti cient to overcome the action of the first mentioned hinges, all of said hinges being spring hinges.

6. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, an under lid therefor, an upper lid for the receptacle, hinges connecting said lids to said receptacle, said hinges being spring hinges, and the strength of the spring hinge for the upper lid being greater than the strength of the spring hinges for the lower lid, said last mentioned hinges tending to raise the lid and the hinge for the upper lid tending to close the same, a keeper on said upper lid, a hook supported behind and above said receptacle and engageable with the keeper when the lid is raised, a pivoted treadle, and means connecting the treadle and hook to move the latter to engaging position when the treadle is depressed.

7. In a device of the kind described, a receptacle, an under lid therefor, an upper lid for the receptacle, hinges connecting said lids to said receptacle, said hinges being spring hinges, and the strength of the spring hinge for the upper lid being greater than the strength of the spring hinges for the lower lid, said last mentioned hinges tending to raise the lid and the hinge for the upper spring actuated means to depress the treadle lid tending to close the same, a keeper on and release the hook from the keeper. it said upper lid, a hook supported behind and In testimony whereof, I affix my signa above said receptacle and engageable With ture, in presence of two Witnesses.

the keeper When the lid is raised, a pivoted FRANK L. HOFFMAN. treadle, means connecting thetreedle and Witnesses:

hook to move the latter to engaging posi- LOUIE Evens,

tion when the treadle is depressed, and JOHN G. Hose. 

